Ethiopia and Eritrea

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they and the states providing troops to UNMEE have made to Ethiopia and Eritrea concerning access restrictions and other kinds of non-cooperation; and whether they will ask for the extension of the mandate for ceasefire verification, frontier demarcation and demining.

Baroness Amos: We have consistently supported UNMEE and the UN process. We have made representations bilaterally and support representations made by the SRSG and UNMEE Force Commander calling for full co-operation from the parties and for restrictions on UNMEE to be lifted. We also participate in the Friends of UNMEE Group in New York, along with troop contributors. We will support the extension of UNMEE's mandate.

Prison Population

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they intend to halt the rise in the prison population, particularly in the numbers of women and young persons.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: It is for the courts to decide in individual cases whether a prison sentence is appropriate or not. But we have always been clear that a custodial sentence should be given for dangerous violent and sexual offenders and for those who persistently offend. Protecting the public is a priority and dangerous offenders should go to prison for as long as public protection requires. However, it is equally important, whether a custodial sentence is given or not, that steps are taken to break the cycle of offending behaviour. Whatever sentence is passed, it should be accompanied by interventions to address the causes of the offender's behaviour.
	We are taking forward the Women's Offending Reduction Programme over the next three years which seeks to address the range of factors that have an impact on why women offend and encourages closer joint working between departments, agencies and other organisations to tackle those factors. A primary focus will be on improving community-based interventions that are better tailored to the needs of women and to encourage greater use of such interventions to ensure that custody is used only for women offenders who really need to be there.
	For young offenders the Government have introduced a range of credible community options, including electronically monitored curfew orders for 10-15 year-olds and electronic tagging for 12-16 year-olds on bail and local authority remand. The Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) is a recently introduced programme to tackle persistent and serious young offenders as an alternative to custodial sentences or secure remands. Targeting the 3 per cent of young offenders estimated to be responsible for 25 per cent of youth crime, it is the most rigorous non-custodial intervention available for young offenders, providing the courts with a credible alternative to custody.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures are being taken to reduce the rising number of incidents of attempted suicide and self-harm in HM Prisons.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The general prison population contains a large number of prisoners with a combination of psychiatric disorders, alcohol and drug dependency, family background and relationship problems and histories of self-harm and previous abuse, all of which raise their risk of suicide and self-harm. Good care and support from staff save many lives but such instances go largely unreported. The Prison Service's approach, in close partnership with outside organisations such as the Samaritans, is to identify better and support those who seem at greatest risk, with an approach that focuses on staff/prisoner relationships and the physical environment.
	The Prison Service's suicide prevention and self-harm reduction programme includes a series of inter-related projects to improve pre-reception, reception and induction arrangements; inter-agency information exchange; prisoner care; detoxification; prisoner peer support, and the learning from investigations into deaths in custody.
	Piloting of these projects is focused on six establishments—Wandsworth, Feltham, Eastwood Park, Leeds, Winchester and Birmingham—although others are involved in aspects of the work. An investment of £21.69 million over the three-year programme from April 2001 is allowing physical improvements to be made at these six sites, for example to reception and induction areas, and through the installation of more first night centres, safer cells, crisis suites and gated cells that enable staff to watch at-risk prisoners closely. The programme will be subject to an independent quantitative and qualitative evaluation.
	Thirty full-time suicide prevention co-ordinators (SPCs) have been trained and located in the most high risk establishments, and a further 99 mostly part-time SPCs are now operating across the estate. There has been a continuing increase in the numbers of listeners being recruited in high-risk establishments, with 608 new listeners recruited within these establishments between 1 October 2001 and 31 March 2002 alone, and further recruitment and training are taking place. Listeners are prisoner volunteers who are selected, trained and supported by Samaritans to offer confidential support to their fellow prisoners who may be at risk of suicide or self-harm or otherwise in distress.
	Between August 2001 and June 2002 a new healthcare screening procedure was piloted in 10 local prisons. Of the 10 establishments, six were adult male remand prisons (Leeds, Wandsworth, Holme House, Liverpool, Manchester and Durham), two were for female remand prisoners (Eastwood Park and New Hall) and two were young offender institutions (Feltham and Glen Parva). The two female prisons include both adults and women aged 16-21 years. An evaluation of the pilot project supported implementation of the new reception screening arrangements across the estate and a rolling programme is planned commencing in April 2003.

Prisoners Held Over 100 Miles from Home Area

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 6 March 2001 (WA 26), whether they have made progress in reducing the number of prisoners held over 100 miles away from their home addresses.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The proportion of prisoners held over 100 miles from home area has remained constant at 17 per cent since March 2001. However, due to an 11 per cent increase in prison population during this period the number of prisoners held over 100 miles from their home area has increased by 1,400 to 12,400 prisoners.

Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will now publish the report by Stephen Moore on the fire at Yarl's Wood detention centre on 14 February 2001, together with the reports on the fire by the Bedfordshire Police and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service; and what decision they have made about bringing the undamaged part of the detention centre into operation.

Lord Filkin: Stephen Moore's terms of reference require him to take full account of inquiries being undertaken by the Bedfordshire police and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. He is also required to conduct his inquiry in a way that would not impede any criminal investigation. Criminal trials arising out of the events at Yarl's Wood on 14 and 15 February are listed for April 2003. Consideration is therefore still being given as to when the report can be completed and published.
	Publication of any reports by the Bedfordshire police and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service must be a matter for them.
	No decision has yet been taken about bringing the undamaged part of the centre into operation.

Right to Buy Scheme

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	If they intend to make any changes to the right to buy scheme.

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: The Government fully support the aspiration of the great majority to own their home (there are now nearly 1 million more homeowners than there were in 1997) and we continue to provide a range of schemes to assist still more people into home ownership.
	The Government are fully committed to the principle of the right to buy, which has enabled 1.5 million tenants to own their house or flat, and have helped create stable, mixed communities, but the scheme must be kept up to date to reflect the current housing market. Right to buy has changed litttle since it was introduced in 1980, and the Government are particularly concerned about exploitation of the rules and about the way the scheme is now working in areas of high demand for housing.
	Right to buy imposes a substantial long-term burden on the public purse (last year's sales will, in due course, result in a long run cost of some £850 million) so it is vital that it meets its objectives effectively. The Government have therefore decided to act to tackle abuses and to reduce the scheme's adverse impact on the availability of affordable housing, in both urban and rural areas.
	My right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister intends to reduce the maximum discounts available to tenants in 42 areas that are under the greatest housing market pressure, as evidenced by a high incidence of homelessness and high house prices, and where there is also evidence of abuse of the scheme. The areas concerned, mainly urban and all in the South and East of England, are listed below. The maximum discount will be cut to £16,000, the same as the maximum discount available to assured tenants of housing associations under the right to acquire scheme.
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials have today written to all the local authorities concerned and to any housing associations in those areas to whom the social housing stock has been transferred consulting them on our intentions. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library of the House. It provides each local authority with the opportunity to provide reasons why the change should not be made in their area. All representations received will be considered carefully.
	An order introducing the changes will be laid before Parliament next month and will come into effect in March. Any tenant who has applied for the right to buy before the date on which the order comes into effect will be entitled to the current, higher, maximum rates of discount where they qualify for these.
	The Government are also determined to ensure that more local people in rural areas can afford a home. The previous administration introduced constraints on the right to buy in some designated rural areas, all national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty by restricting the resale of homes purchased under the scheme. The Government are now taking immediate steps to increase the scope of those restrictions on resale. My right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister is removing the requirement for the area in question to have 3 per cent or more of stock as second homes and will be prepared to designate areas that include towns with up to 3,000 inhabitants (rather than the current limit of 2,000). Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials are also writing to all local authorities and post-transfer housing associations to inform them that we are relaxing the criteria. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library of the House. We expect more local authorities will take the opportunity this change now provides to protect the stock of affordable housing stock across much of rural England.
	The Government will assess carefully the impact of the changes before determining the need for further modernisation of the right to buy.
	Areas in Which Right to Buy Discounts Will Be Reduced
	London
	1. Barnet
	2. Bexley
	3. Brent
	4. Bromley
	5. Camden
	6. City of London
	7. Croydon
	8. Ealing
	9. Enfield
	10. Hackney
	11. Hammersmith & Fulham
	12. Haringey
	13. Harrow
	14. Hillingdon
	15. Hounslow
	16. Islington
	17. Kensington & Chelsea
	18. Kingston upon Thames
	19. Lambeth
	20. Lewisham
	21. Merton
	22. Newham
	23. Redbridge
	24. Richmond upon Thames
	25. Southwark
	26. Sutton
	27. Tower Hamlets
	28. Waltham Forest
	29. Wandsworth
	30. Westminster
	South East
	1. Chiltern
	2. Epsom & Ewell
	3. Hart
	4. Oxford
	5. Reading
	6. Reigate & Banstead
	7. Spelthorne
	8. Tonbridge & Malling
	9. Vale of White Horse
	10. West Berkshire
	East
	Watford
	South West
	Christchurch

Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under paragraphs 5(4)(a) and (b) of the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, how long a period will be allowed to elapse in each case before the enforcement authority may take the measures referred to in paragraph 5(1).

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Regulation 5 of SI 2002 No 2013 enables UK enforcement authorities to take action against online service providers established in other EEA member states on a case by case basis where there is a grave and serious risk to public policy, in particular crime prevention or investigation, public health, public security or consumer protection. Use of this derogation is subject to certain conditions. Among other things, enforcement authorities must normally first ask the member state concerned to take action, and can only proceed with the action if the member state concerned does not, for whatever reason, take enforcement action itself or it is inadequate.
	Neither the directive nor the UK implementing regulations specify how much time the other member state concerned must be given to act. However, in emergency cases enforcement authorities are able to bypass the prior request requirement and take action immediately.

Flexible Working Regulations

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What date explanatory booklets and guidance on the Flexible Working Regulations will be available.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Flexible Working Regulations come into force on 6 April 2003.
	In preparation for this, summary guidance on the Flexible Working Regulations has been available since August 2002 in both hard copy and on the DTI website.
	Detailed guidance, which will include case studies and set of sample best practice forms to help employees make a valid application and employers handle the request properly, has been tested with key stakeholders. The aim is to have the finalised guidance available on the DTI website by the beginning of February, with a hard copy and an interactive website version by the middle of February.
	The Acas helpline 08457 47 47 47, which provides advice and guidance on all employment issues, is already covering the new regulations. All helpline staff have received initial training and further more detailed training will be completed by the middle of February.

UK Space Strategy

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When will the United Kingdom space strategy be published.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The draft United Kingdom space strategy Space for science, enterprise and environment is being published today. It sets out proposals to enhance the UK's standing in space exploration, to promote the use of space in government and commerce and to develop innovative space systems. The public is invited to comment on the draft by 30 April. Copies of the strategy and guidance on how to respond are available on the website of the British National Space Centre www.bnsc.gov.uk. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Queen's Counsel

Lord Goodhart: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 7 January (WA 167) concerning the system of appointment of Queen's Counsel, what are the benefits which the system allegedly confers on consumers in relation to the provision of services by the legal profession.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The system of appointment of Queen's Counsel identifies those solicitors or barristers who demonstrate outstanding advocacy, legal and professional skills in court and are specialists in their chosen field. Solicitors who need to instruct counsel for a complex case in a specialism or jurisdiction with which they are not familiar are aided by the quality mark of QC which allows them to distinguish which advocate will be able to handle that case most effectively on behalf of their client (the consumer). Consumers who wish to seek direct access to advocacy services may well be uninformed as to who best to instruct and can be guided by the quality mark represented by Queen's Counsel status. This quality mark also enables the consumer, or solicitor, to switch to new advocates with confidence, thereby facilitating competition and helping to create an open market for providers of advocacy services.

General Commissioners of Income Tax

Lord Gregson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their proposals for the amalgamation of divisions of the General Commissioners of Income Tax in Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: On 21 January 2003, I made an order under Section 2(6) of the Taxes Management Act 1970 amalgamating a number of divisions in Berkshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire as follows. The Newbury, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Wokingham divisions shall be merged into one new division to be called the Berkshire division. The North East Wiltshire and Cirencester divisions shall be merged into one new division to be called the Thamesmead Division. This comes into force on
	1 February 2003.
	That order also gives effect from 1 April 2003 to the merger of Huntingdon and St Ives divisions into one new division to be called Huntingdon and St Ives.
	All the amalgamations were made at the request of the General Commissioners in all the divisions with the aim of improving the organisational efficiency of the divisions concerned. I have placed a copy of the order amalgamating the divisions in the Libraries of both Houses.

Ram Doctrine

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in the light of the Performance and Innovation Unit's report Privacy and data-sharing: The way forward for public services (April 2002), they will publish the Ram doctrine.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Ram doctrine, which is set out in a memorandum dated 2 November 1945 from the then First Parliamentary Counsel, Granville Ram, states that a Minister of the Crown may exercise any powers that the Crown has power to exercise, except in so far as the Minister is precluded by statute from so doing, either expressly or by necessary implication. Generally, legally privileged advice to government is not disclosed but, given the age of the advice, we are content to do so in this case and the text of the memorandum has been made available in the Library.

Funding of Political Parties

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they would consider it to be in the public interest for British political parties and parliamentary elections to be funded by business interests; and, if not, what are their reasons for this view.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government's current policy on the funding of political parties follows the recommendations which the Committee on Standards in Public Life made in its 1998 report. The Government have since introduced rules on openness and transparency in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The independent Electoral Commission, which is charged with a statutory obligation to review and report on matters relating to the regulation and funding of political parties, has begun a review of the arguments for and against state funding and a cap on donations.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to extend the Atomic Weapons Establishment contract.

Lord Bach: We have decided that, following detailed negotiations, and as allowed for in the announcement of the existing 10-year contract for the management and operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment with AWE Management Limited, the contract should be extended to 25 years and that the contractor should, where necessary, have access to private capital. The extended contract will continue to give overriding priority to safety and security. The resultant long-term partnering arrangement will allow the optimisation of investment in capital projects and will result in improved facilities, environmental improvements and efficiency gains.
	Aldermaston and Burghfield will continue as nuclear licensed sites, subject to independent regulation by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Environment Agency. The Ministry of Defence Compliance Officer will also retain the authority and responsibility to cancel the contract and to instruct the contractor to cease operations if there is a serious breach of MoD's requirements.
	All existing and completed new assets will be owned by the Government. The total value of the contract will be £5.3 billion.
	The AWE workforce and their trade unions will be given details today by AWE Management Limited.

Injury Prevention

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to involve regional directors of public health in the implementation of the recommendations in the report Preventing Accidental Injury—Priorities for Action from the Accidental Injury Task Force.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The report recommended that regional directors of public health should co-ordinate injury prevention at regional level. The report also highlighted the role of public health observatories. This is one of a wide range of public health responsibilities being discussed with regional directors of public health.

Haemophiliacs: vCJD Implicated Products

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 19 December 2002 (WA156), whether any patient living in England or Northern Ireland could be affected by the case of the blood donor in Scotland found recently to have vCJD and from whom plasma had been used to manufacture haemophilia treatment by the National Health Service; whether any patient living in Wales could be affected; and what contact there has been between the Department of Health and both the Scottish and Welsh Executives about the case.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The batches of clotting factor concentrates manufactured by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service from the plasma taken from a donor who subsequently developed vCJD were distributed to haemophilia centres in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Patients treated with these products living in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been contacted by their clinicians. A small number of patients who received these implicated products are now living in England. Information has been passed to their local haemophilia centres so that they can be contacted. We are not aware of any cases involving patients living in Wales. There was extensive correspondence on this case between the secretariat of the CJD Incidents Panel and the various Scottish bodies involved.

Thimerosal/Mercury-based Vaccines

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What research has taken place into allergic reactions to thimerosal/mercury-based vaccines, especially among infant children.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There is a substantial body of published research on allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions associated with thiomersal. This research has shown that thiomersal, which is contained in some vaccines used in infants, can cause mild hypersensitivity reactions that typically include skin rashes or local swelling at the site of injection. Severe hypersensitivity reactions to thiomersal-containing vaccines, such as those involving swelling of the face and wheezing, are rare. A list of relevant publications has been placed in the Library.
	The European Medicines Evaluation Agency's Scientific Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) reviewed the safety of medicinal products containing thiormersal in 1999. The CPMP advised that there is no evidence of harm caused by the level of thiomersal exposure from vaccines. Given the known association between thiomersal and hypersensitivity reactions, the CPMP advised that warnings about these reactions should be provided in the product information for thiomersal-containing vaccines.
	As with all medicinal products, the Medicines Control Agency and Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) keeps the safety of thiomersal-containing vaccines under continual review. The CSM reviewed the safety of thiomersal-containing vaccines in 2001 and advised that, with the exception of hypersensitivity reactions, there is no evidence of harm from thiomersal contained in vaccines. Therefore, the CSM advised that the benefits of immunisation with thiomersal-containing vaccines outweigh any potential risks of vaccination.

NHS Negligence Claims: Haemophilia Society Proposal

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will confirm the National Audit Office's figure of £4.4 billion of outstanding claims against the National Health Service for negligence; and what estimate they have made of the cost per year over 10 years of the Haemophilia Society's proposals for compensating people infected with hepatitis by contaminated National Health Service blood products.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We can confirm that the National Audit Office's reported figure of £4.4 billion of outstanding claims against the National Health Service for clinical negligence in 2000-01 is correct. The estimated cost of the Haemophilia Society's proposal is £52.26 million per year over 10 years.

Provisional IRA

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that the Provisional IRA is still involved in recruiting, re-arming, training, targeting and punishment beatings; and, if so, in what activities.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: We continue to judge that the PIRA ceasefire remains in place but, as the Prime Minister made clear in his speech in Belfast on 17 October, in the Government's view the IRA remains an active paramilitary organisation. We cannot tolerate paramilitary activity in any form. Everyone has to make a commitment to achieving their objectives by exclusively peaceful means—real, total and permanent.

O'Neill Memorial and Castle Gardens Primary Schools

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the dates of the closure of (a) O'Neill Memorial School, Castlereagh and (b) Castle Gardens School, Newtownards; and what proposals there are for the future use of these buildings or their disposal.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: O'Neill Memorial Primary School, Castlereagh and Castle Gardens Primary School, Newtownards both closed with effect from 31 August 2002.
	The South-Eastern Education and Library Board does not own these properties but is pursuing the possibility of retention of the two properties for continued educational purposes, subject to legal formalities being satisfactorily resolved.

Abbey Primary School, Newtownards

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the present enrolment at Abbey Primary School, Newtownards; how many applicants for enrolment for the academic year beginning September 2002 were refused; and what proposals there are to replace the temporary classrooms at this new school.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The current enrolment at Abbey Primary School, Newtownards is 594; seven applicants were refused admission for September 2002. There are no immediate plans to replace the temporary accommodation at the school.

Ulster Canal

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Waterways Ireland has any plans to restore and re-open the Ulster Canal as a tourist attraction.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Waterways Ireland has no plans to restore and re-open the Ulster Canal, but the question of funding is at present being explored by independent consultants.

Armagh Protestant Board of Education

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the role of the Armagh Protestant Board of Education at the Royal School, Armagh; when this board came into existence; and what is its statutory basis.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: I understand that the Armagh Protestant Board of Education owns and manages the Royal School Armagh, subject to the legislation governing all schools. It was established by an educational endowment scheme made under the Educational Endowments (Ireland) Act 1885 for the government and management of the endowments of the Ulster Royal Schools (including Armagh Royal School) and was approved by Order in Council on 22 May 1891.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 7 January (WA173) concerning Waterways Ireland, what is meant by the wording "equality scheme is set out below".

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Regrettably the list of organisations consulted by Waterways Ireland regarding the equality scheme was accidentally omitted from my previous Written Answer (WA173). The list in question is now set out below:
	External stakeholders
	Waterways interest groups (5)
	Lough Erne Advisory Consultative Group
	Lower Bann Advisory Committee
	Ulster Waterways Group
	Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (Northern Ireland Branch)
	Erne Charter Boat Association
	Other interest groups (18)
	ATGWU (Ireland)
	Arthur Cox (NI) Ltd
	Carrickcraft
	Coalisland Canal Restoration Committee
	Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network
	Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside
	Ferguson McIlveen Consulting Engineers
	Fermanagh Wetlands Project
	Fisheries Sectoral Development Programme
	GMB
	Letterbreen Development Association
	National Trust
	Owen Aillew Diving Club
	Rossigh Angling Club
	Ulster Wildlife Trust
	Stormont Strategy
	Tourist Development International
	Ulster Waterways Group
	University of Ulster School of Environmental Studies
	Central Government Departments (15)
	The Northern Ireland Office
	The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the other nine Northern Ireland departments
	The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
	Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (for information only)
	Department of Finance (for information only)
	Department of Justice Equality and Law (for information only)
	North/South Implementation Bodies (5)
	District Councils in Northern Ireland (26)
	Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland (5)
	Health and Social Services Councils in Northern Ireland (4)
	Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland (4)
	Political parties (10): (listed in alphabetical order)
	Alliance Party
	D.U.P
	N.I. Unionist Party
	N.I. Womens' Coalition Party
	P.U.P
	S.D.L.P
	Sinn Fein
	U.D.P
	U.K. Unionist Party
	U.U.P
	Organisations representing a wide range of interests in Northern Ireland (64)
	174 Trust
	Arts Council NI
	Association of Chief Officers of Voluntary Associations
	Association of Independent Advice Centres
	Belfast Regeneration Office
	Catholics Bishops Commission on Justice and Peace
	Centre for Voluntary Action Studies
	Chrysalis Women's Centre
	Church of Ireland
	Combat Poverty Action Group Northern Ireland
	Committee on the Administration of Justice
	Community Care Forum
	Community Development Centre
	Community Relations Council (NI)
	Community Relations Training/Learning Consortium
	Community Technical Aid
	Community Work Education and Training Network
	Corrymeela Community
	Democratic Dialogue
	Employers' Forum on Disability
	Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
	Equality Forum NI
	Equality Unit
	Fermanagh Shadow Council
	Heritage Lottery Fund
	International Fund for Ireland Communities in Action Project
	Law Centre NI
	Londonderry Regeneration Initiative
	Methodist Church in Ireland
	National Lottery Charities Board
	Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network
	Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
	Northern Ireland Committee—Irish Congress of Trade Unions (NIC-ICTU)
	Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action
	Northern Ireland Economic Council
	Northern Ireland Environmental Link
	Northern Ireland Housing Executive
	Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
	Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum
	Northern Ireland Partnership Board
	Northern Ireland Pre-school Playgroup Association
	Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
	Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust
	Northern Ireland Volunteer Development Agency
	Northern Ireland Youth Forum
	Playboard
	Presbyterian Church in Ireland
	Proteus
	Salvation Army
	Share Centre
	Sports Council Northern Ireland
	Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards
	Sustainable Northern Ireland Programme
	The Local Government Staff Commission for NI
	Training for Women Network
	Ulster People's College
	Ulster Scots Heritage Council
	UNISON
	Voluntary Activity Unit
	Workers Educational Association Northern Ireland
	Worknet
	Youth Council for Northern Ireland
	Youthnet
	Target groups (155)
	Action Cancer
	Action for Dysphasic Adults
	Action MS
	Age Concern
	Age Sector Reference Group
	AIDS Helpline
	Amputees Association of Northern Ireland
	Ar Ais Ar An Omaigh
	Ar Ais Aris
	Armagh Travellers Support Group
	Arthritis Care
	ASBAH
	Asthma Society
	Baha'i Community
	Barnado's
	Belfast Islamic Centre
	Belfast Traveller Sites Project
	Belfast Travellers' Education and Development Group
	Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre
	Body Positive
	British Deaf Association NI
	British Diabetic Association
	British Epilepsy Association
	British Sport Association for the Disabled (BSAD)
	Brook Advisory Centre
	Brownlow Community Trust
	Cairde
	Carafriend
	Carers National Association
	Catholic Boy Scouts Foundation NI
	Chest, Heart and Stroke Organisation
	Child Care Northern Ireland
	Child Poverty Action Group
	Childline NI
	Children's Law Centre (NI)
	Chinese Chamber of Commerce (NI)
	Chinese Health Project
	Clogher Valley Rural Centre
	Coalition on Sexual Orientation
	Coiste na n-Iarchimi
	Community Development and Health Network
	Confederation of Community Groups
	Confederation of Community Groups Newry
	Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network
	Craigavon Asian Women and Children Association
	Craigavon Travellers' Support Committee
	Craigavon Vietnamese Group
	CRUSE Bereavement NI
	Cumann na Meirleach
	Cystic Fibrosis Trust
	Derry Travellers' Support Group
	Derry Well Women
	Disability Action
	Down's Syndrome Association
	Dyslexic Association of Northern Ireland
	East Down Rural Community Network
	Extern
	Family Farm Development Ltd
	Family Planning Association NI
	Fermanagh Rural Community Network
	Fermanagh Women's Network
	First Key
	Focus on Family
	Forum for Action on Substance Abuse
	Foyle Friend
	Gay and Lesbian Youth NI
	Gingerbread NI
	Glen Road Heights Women's Group
	Goitse
	Guide Association
	Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh Temple
	Health Action Zone
	Help the Aged
	Huntington's Disease Association
	Iar Chimi Phear Manach
	Indian Community Centre
	Industrial Therapy Organisation
	Irish Central Border Area Network
	Japan Society of NI
	La Societa Italiana Irlands del Nord
	Lesbian Line
	LUPUS Group
	Lurgan Council for Voluntary Action
	ME Association
	MENCAP
	Mid-Ulster Women's Network
	Monagh Road Women's Steering Group
	Multi-Cultural Resource Centre (NI)
	Multiple Sclerosis Society
	Muscular Dystrophy Group of GB and NI
	Northern Ireland Association of Mental Health
	Newry and Mourne Senior Citizens' Consortium
	Newry and Mourne Women
	Newry Interagency Consortium for Travellers
	Newry Travellers' Early Years Action Group
	Newtownabbey Senior Citizens' Forum
	NIACRO
	North West Ethnic Communities Association
	North West Forum of People with Disabilities (2)
	Northern Ireland African Cutural Centre
	Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities
	Northern Ireland Council for the Homeless
	Northern Ireland Disability Council
	Northern Ireland Filipino Association
	Northern Ireland Filipino Community in Action
	Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association
	Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation
	Northern Ireland Women's European Platform
	NSPCC (NI)
	NUS USI
	Oi-Kwan Chinese Women's Group
	Omagh Women's Area Network
	Organisation for the Unemployed
	Parents and Professionals and Autism
	PHAB
	Pobal
	Praxis
	Putting Children First
	Queer Space
	Regeneration of South Armagh Rural Development Council
	RNIB
	RNID
	Save the Children
	Scouting Association NI
	SENSE Northern Ireland
	Shelter
	Simon Community
	Society for Speech Impaired
	South Armagh Farmers and Residents Association
	Southern Travellers' Early Years Partners
	Sperrin Lakeland Senior Citizens' Consortium
	Strabane Community Network
	Swedish Society of Northern Ireland
	Tar Abhaile
	Tar Anall Uir Cinn Tra
	The Cedar Foundation (formerly NICOD)
	The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
	The Rainbow Project
	The Special Olympics (Northern Ireland Branch)
	The Women's Centre
	Traveller Movement Northern Ireland
	Travellers Support Group for Playgroup Workers
	University of the Third Age
	Victim Support
	Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC)
	Wah Hep Community Association
	WAVE
	West Belfast Economic Forum
	Women Seen and Heard
	Women's Forum NI
	Women's Information Group
	Women's Resource and Development Agency
	Women's Support Network
	Young Help NI
	Youth Action Forum NI
	Individuals (14)
	Bell, David
	Campbell, Daniel
	Cavanagh, John
	Hewitt, David
	King, T
	Magee, John
	McGinn, Pat
	McGlaughlin, Glen
	McGuigan, Sean
	McQuillian, Henry
	Morgan, Francis
	O Gribin, Eamon
	Payne, John
	Sheridan, N

Ulster Scots Agency

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 9 January (WA237) concerning the retirement of the interim chief executive of the Ulster Scots Agency appointed in 1999, what is the nature of the outstanding staffing matter; and when will it be resolved.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Investigation into this outstanding matter is continuing. It involves issues of sensitivity for the individuals concerned and it would not be appropriate to give details.

Northern Ireland: Integrated Education

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their targets for the growth of integrated education in Northern Ireland; and what resources have been allocated to them.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The target is for an average annual 10 per cent growth in enrolments in integrated schools in response to parental demand. In pursuit of this target, we fund the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education to develop proposals for new integrated schools and it is expected that the department will provide funding of £467,000 in the next financial year to the council. In addition, some £3.5 million has been provided to the Integrated Education Fund to support the development of the sector.
	Funding will also continue to be made available, as and when necessary, for new integrated school projects which satisfy the normal viability criteria.

Belfast to Dublin Railway Line

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following the recent total relay of the railway track between Belfast and Dublin, how many speed restrictions apply; and why they are appropriate on a relaid track.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Translink has advised that there are five temporary speed restrictions currently in place on the Belfast to Dublin railway line, between Belfast and the border. One is related to vandalism and one to settlement caused by badger activity. The remaining three are in place for operational reasons including maintenance work.
	Approximately 50 per cent of the track that runs from Belfast to the Border was relaid during the mid to late 1990s and none of the temporary speed restrictions relates to track that was relaid.

Royal School, Armagh

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What restrictions there are on enrolment at the Royal School, Armagh; how the number of boarders at this school impacts upon total enrolment; and whether an increase in the number of boarders at the school means that there must be a restriction on the number of day pupils at the school.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Department of Education (Northern Ireland) has approved admission and enrolment numbers of 100 and 650 respectively for the Royal School, Armagh. It is a matter for the school to determine the number of places it sets aside for boarders within these approved numbers subject to the provisions of the Secondary School (Admissions Criteria) Regulations (NI) 1997. These permit a school with a boarding department to give priority to boarding pupils without regard to transfer procedure grades but only to the extent of not exceeding the number of pupils enrolled in a school's boarding department on 21 September 1990 or 2 October 1997, whichever is the greater. Any increase in the number of boarders will restrict the number of day pupils at the school.

Weston Park

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 9 January (WA 233) concerning Weston Park, which parties accepted the proposals of 1 August 2001 and which did not.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: It emerged following publication of the proposals that they did not constitute the basis of a fully acceptable way forward. The positions of the parties on the detail of these proposals are a matter for them.

Civil Service: Oath of Allegiance

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any new appointees to the Civil Service in any part of the United Kingdom are required to take an oath of allegiance; if so, which parts of the Civil Service require this; who they require to take this; and to whom it is made.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Under the terms of the Civil Service Code, members of the Home Civil Service owe their loyalty to the administration in which they serve.
	No civil servant in the UK is required to take an oath of allegiance.